| Parents are often looking for healthy kids snacks | | | | can start off a day long habit of sugar spikes and |
| to help their children stay fit. It can be a challenge, | | | | letdowns. Sugar acts as a drug in the body, and |
| though, with all of the unhealthy, over-sweetened | | | | has an addictive quality. So if kids (or adults) start |
| and fattening snacks out there to tempt your | | | | the day off eating very sweet foods, as soon as |
| kids. Worst of all, advertising actively targets | | | | the initial sugar jolt starts to wear off they will |
| children, encouraging them to have a sweet tooth | | | | start craving more. |
| and crave junk food. While it can seem like an | | | | Healthy trail mixes can make excellent snacks. |
| uphill battle, there are things you can do to instill | | | | Again, look for ones without added sugar. Today |
| healthy snacking habits in your children. | | | | many trail mixes contain pieces of candy, which |
| Snacks, for children and adults alike, can be a time | | | | are hardly healthy. Nuts and dried fruit are good |
| when people make some of their least healthy | | | | sources of, respectively, protein and natural sugar. |
| eating choices. With kids, this can be a time when | | | | Another idea is to put the trail mix into some plain |
| you can't always be watching or supervising what | | | | yogurt. You can add a little natural sweetener like |
| they eat. You can, however, send them off to | | | | raw honey, pure maple syrup or agave nectar. |
| school with some healthy snacks, which can help | | | | Instead of potato chips or pretzels, try giving |
| them develop good habits. | | | | your kids healthier substitutes like vegetable chips, |
| Until recently, it has been widely assumed that | | | | which can be found in natural foods section of |
| watching your weight was something you didn't | | | | your supermarket. |
| have to worry about until you were an adult, | | | | You can also find things like organic, whole grain |
| maybe even middle-aged. Sadly, however, we are | | | | crackers. These can be dipped in foods like |
| seeing a rapid increase in childhood obesity. The | | | | hummus, baba ganoush (both tasty Middle Eastern |
| causes for this are mainly twofold, and not very | | | | spreads), guacamole or an all natural salsa. |
| hard to identify: an increase in calories and junk | | | | If you buy packaged snacks, look for healthier |
| food and a corresponding decrease in physical | | | | alternatives to candy bars. Even many energy |
| activity! You can help to influence your children in | | | | bars are highly sweetened. They do, however, |
| positive ways in both of these areas. | | | | make energy bars or fruit strips that are only |
| Be sure that your kids get a good breakfast | | | | sweetened with organic or natural ingredients |
| every morning. This should include a high quality | | | | instead of sugar or corn syrup. |
| protein and maybe some fruit. Being too hungry in | | | | These are just a few ideas for healthy kids |
| between meals is one reason kids gravitate | | | | snacks. If you make it a point to pay attention to |
| towards unhealthy snacks. If you give them | | | | what your children eat in between meals you can |
| cereal for breakfast, try to give them a healthy | | | | help them develop healthier eating habits. |
| one that is not over-sweetened. Sugary cereals | | | | |